Easter Sunday terror attacks: Wijeyadasa demands independent probe committee

Claiming that the police failed to implement the law against those responsible for the Easter Sunday terror attacks, MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe had requested President Maithripala Sirisena to hand over investigations into the incident to an independent team comprising honest and trustworthy officials of the police department.
In a letter to the President, he said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) which had undertaken investigations into several incidents such as vandalising Buddhist statues and recovering explosives had neglected to report them to court.
“The investigations into the incident of vandalising Buddhist statues in Mawanella, attacking a Hindu Kovil in Pothuhera, Alawwa and attacking a church in Penideniya have been handed over to the CID. On information received from the investigations, a training camp operated by terrorist Zahran was found in Wanathawilluwa and a stock of explosives recovered. The two suspects – Insaf Ahmed and Ilham Ahmed – who were the suicide bombers of Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand Hotels, were earlier arrested in connection with the Mawanella incident, but Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and Western Province Governor Azath Salley had forced the CID to release them. It was revealed that they were released as a result of undue political influence without them being produced in court. In case the matter had been taken up by the judiciary, then the attacks could have been averted,” he said.
Also, he said the CID failed to report to court the incident where two bomb-laden motorbikes were detonated on April 16 in Kattankudy.
“Top officials of the CID should be held responsible for its irresponsibility and inactivity to prevent the terrorist attacks despite ample opportunities to do so. Justice cannot be expected by handing over investigations to the CID that acted shortsightedly on the devastation. Although it is the responsibility of the IGP and all OICs to report to the Magistrate’s Court soon after a criminal incident occurs, it is serious that they failed to take any action even after a month. On April 28, I complained to the OICs of Kollupitiya, Fort, Katana, Weralabada, Batticaloa and the Police Relief Centre on the incident but no action had been taken so far,” he said.